Hi all - I haven't posted in awhile - real life and all that stuff... sorry...
Today I took my 95' YJ (4.0. 5sp) out and the water pump let go. Thought I'd give a dissertation on how I fixed it.
First off, YES YOU CAN DO IT. It isn't that hard. But have GOJO available, a few band-aids, and plan on a few hours. I found that beer helps as well.
Once you are SURE that the water pump needs to be replaced - and I mean SURE. I had a slight trickle at the *REAR* of my engine - turned out the weep hole was leaking down the block, down the oil pan, and running down the REAR of the engine. (I was ready to replace the freeze plugs, but I looked further)
Open the hood. (Hey - if you can do it without, have at it!!)
Everything I read said to disconnect the battery. I didn't, but it's likely a real good idea. Your call.
Under the power steering pump, facing the drivers' side fender, is a 13MM bolt - back it off at least 1.5". Then release the top holding bolt, the rear holding bolt, and the nut under the pump itself. That will release pressure on the serpentine belt. Pull the belt. Replace it if you want. I didn't - mine looked good. (and I have AAA Premier!)
Take TWO 13MM wrenches and break the nuts loose from the clutch fan at the pulley for the water pump. I say TWO so you can use one for stability and one to break them loose. The last nut is a PITA - I used a breaker bar to hold the pulley tight to get the last one loose.
Your mileage may vary.
Some have said to use a strap wrench, and that's likely the best course of action, but I didn't have one and I was hot and tired, so I used what I had. DO NOT BREAK THE STUDS if you can help it!
Disconnect the fan shroud - mine had three 14MM/phillips bolts, two on the right, one on the left.
I actually had to drive a small flat screwdriver between the pulley and the fan to break it free. Then I had to pry it. It came off, but it wasn't happy about it.
Remove the fan and the shroud as one and set them aside. Now would be a real bad time to damage the radiator. Be careful - the thing is more fragile (and EXPENSIVE) than it looks!
*Remove* bolts and nut on the power steering pump that you loosened before, then remove the bracket that holds the power steering pump - there are 6 bolts on mine. There is a bolt in the center of the bracket, behind the pump. Take the nut and two bolts off that hold the pump itself to the bracket THEN remove the 14mm bolt in the center of the bracket. Remember their length and where they go. Trust me. Draw a map or take photos - you'll thank me later. Let that kinda just hang off to the right side. Tie it up if you're motivated. I wasn't, and it didn't hurt anything.
Remove the damnable spring clamp that holds your bottom radiator hose to the water pump, assuming that you have one. If you have the screw kind, thank your lucky stars. If you don't have a screw kind, GET ONE. Trust me. Busted knuckles will thank you later. Then remove the hose itself and push it out of your way.
Remove the less-than-damnable-but-still-a-PITA clamp on the HEATER HOSE. On mine with was a solid metal tube that came out of the water pump on the top left and ran beside the valve cover, where it met with a rubber hose that lead to the heater core. Again, my suggestion is to spend the two-bits and get a screw-type clamp. Your call - at least that one is easier to work with. Once it is disconnected, move it out of your way.
There is a pulley on my rig (*I have A/C) above left of the water pump - that has to come off too - it is a 14MM bolt. Just pull it and set it aside for the moment. You will have to remove that to get the tube out that is connected to the water pump - if you don't, you will not be able to remove the pump with the tube attached!
There are 4 bolts that hold on the water pump - 12/9/6 o'clock are the same length. 3 o'clock is longer. Don't screw it up. Pop it off. I used a rubber mallet.
Once you get the old pump off, you will see there is a hard tube from the top left of the water pump to the heater hose that we disconnected earlier. That HAS to come off the old water pump. It can be removed with a liberal blasting of PB BLASTER and an 18mm wrench and a sand mallet (on the WRENCH!!). A hammer would work, too, but DO NOT BEND IT. Remove that pipe. Make sure that it's clean and not bent.
Remove the studs from the old water pump that held on the fan. You can do this by taking two of the nuts that you already pulled off from those studs earlier and running both of them down one stud and tightening them together, then run them off using an opened end wrench from the bottom nut. Save the studs.
I used a razor blade to clean the old gasket material up and make everything smooth.
I put the tube mentioned above in the same spot in the new pump. I used Teflon tape to help it not leak, and put it about where I needed to put it. This WILL take some adjusting to get it in the right place, so spin it down A LOT and then start adjusting it! Once it's where it needs to be, and aligned with the heater hose, everything starts coming together.
Take the studs from two paragraphs above and thread them into the new pump. You won't need thread lock or anything - just run them down to the collar. And they will only go in one way - different threads for each side. Good thinking, Jeep Designers!!!
I have read that you DO NOT need gasket compound. I have read that you DO need it. My pump came with instructions to USE compound. I would have anyway, and I used blue RTV. I coated a thin film between the new water pump and the gasket then set it. Then I coated the gasket on the other side with another layer. I used 12/6 o'clock to hold everything in place, and it isn't leaking, so it must have worked.
I got my new pump at Advance Auto Parts. *NEW* for $29.99, not rebuilt (rebuilt was $25, so **duh**). Lifetime warranty. And NO core deposit! FYI
Tighten the pump *gently* and in a cross-hatch pattern. Once it is tight, but not TOO tight (we've ALL been there when we've said "just a little more - - - - snap - - - - damnit!)( and sorry, I don't know the torque specs).
**Put the Bottom radiator hose on ***NEXT***. TRUST ME ON THIS.**
*Then* put the power steering pump bracket on - leave the bolts loose until they are all threaded - then once they are, snug them down. Then put the pump on the brackets. DO NOT TIGHTEN THE PUMP YET! Feel free to tighten the bracket, though. NOT TOO TIGHT!!!! (remember **crack**)
Put the pulley back on the water pump. Carefully slide the fan and the shroud back in place and tighten the bolts from the fan to the water pump.
Reconnect the shroud back to the radiator with the three bolts/screws.
Follow the routing diagram on your shroud to position your serpentine belt. Once it is in place, tighten up the tensioner bolt under the power steering pump that faces your drivers' side fender. You want about 1/2" of flex in the belt. Once the belt is where you want it, tighten the nut under the pump, the bolt behind the pump, and the bolt in front of the pump at the top.
Put the heater hose back on the tube coming out of the top left of the water pump that is next to the valve cover. Put the clamp on.
If you feel confident, refill with 50/50 antifreeze. Or you can refill with water until you run it to operating temp and check for leaks, then drain it and put 50/50 in it. (I put 50/50 in mine, ya wuss )
I didn't change my T-Stat this time. Maybe I should have, and the hoses as well. Your call.
Hope this helped some - 'cause my Chiltens was near useless..... LOL.
I hope this helped someone, and I hope you chuckled a but.... Happy Wheeling!!!!!!!!!
Today I took my 95' YJ (4.0. 5sp) out and the water pump let go. Thought I'd give a dissertation on how I fixed it.
First off, YES YOU CAN DO IT. It isn't that hard. But have GOJO available, a few band-aids, and plan on a few hours. I found that beer helps as well.
Once you are SURE that the water pump needs to be replaced - and I mean SURE. I had a slight trickle at the *REAR* of my engine - turned out the weep hole was leaking down the block, down the oil pan, and running down the REAR of the engine. (I was ready to replace the freeze plugs, but I looked further)
Open the hood. (Hey - if you can do it without, have at it!!)
Everything I read said to disconnect the battery. I didn't, but it's likely a real good idea. Your call.
Under the power steering pump, facing the drivers' side fender, is a 13MM bolt - back it off at least 1.5". Then release the top holding bolt, the rear holding bolt, and the nut under the pump itself. That will release pressure on the serpentine belt. Pull the belt. Replace it if you want. I didn't - mine looked good. (and I have AAA Premier!)
Take TWO 13MM wrenches and break the nuts loose from the clutch fan at the pulley for the water pump. I say TWO so you can use one for stability and one to break them loose. The last nut is a PITA - I used a breaker bar to hold the pulley tight to get the last one loose.
Your mileage may vary.
Some have said to use a strap wrench, and that's likely the best course of action, but I didn't have one and I was hot and tired, so I used what I had. DO NOT BREAK THE STUDS if you can help it!
Disconnect the fan shroud - mine had three 14MM/phillips bolts, two on the right, one on the left.
I actually had to drive a small flat screwdriver between the pulley and the fan to break it free. Then I had to pry it. It came off, but it wasn't happy about it.
Remove the fan and the shroud as one and set them aside. Now would be a real bad time to damage the radiator. Be careful - the thing is more fragile (and EXPENSIVE) than it looks!
*Remove* bolts and nut on the power steering pump that you loosened before, then remove the bracket that holds the power steering pump - there are 6 bolts on mine. There is a bolt in the center of the bracket, behind the pump. Take the nut and two bolts off that hold the pump itself to the bracket THEN remove the 14mm bolt in the center of the bracket. Remember their length and where they go. Trust me. Draw a map or take photos - you'll thank me later. Let that kinda just hang off to the right side. Tie it up if you're motivated. I wasn't, and it didn't hurt anything.
Remove the damnable spring clamp that holds your bottom radiator hose to the water pump, assuming that you have one. If you have the screw kind, thank your lucky stars. If you don't have a screw kind, GET ONE. Trust me. Busted knuckles will thank you later. Then remove the hose itself and push it out of your way.
Remove the less-than-damnable-but-still-a-PITA clamp on the HEATER HOSE. On mine with was a solid metal tube that came out of the water pump on the top left and ran beside the valve cover, where it met with a rubber hose that lead to the heater core. Again, my suggestion is to spend the two-bits and get a screw-type clamp. Your call - at least that one is easier to work with. Once it is disconnected, move it out of your way.
There is a pulley on my rig (*I have A/C) above left of the water pump - that has to come off too - it is a 14MM bolt. Just pull it and set it aside for the moment. You will have to remove that to get the tube out that is connected to the water pump - if you don't, you will not be able to remove the pump with the tube attached!
There are 4 bolts that hold on the water pump - 12/9/6 o'clock are the same length. 3 o'clock is longer. Don't screw it up. Pop it off. I used a rubber mallet.
Once you get the old pump off, you will see there is a hard tube from the top left of the water pump to the heater hose that we disconnected earlier. That HAS to come off the old water pump. It can be removed with a liberal blasting of PB BLASTER and an 18mm wrench and a sand mallet (on the WRENCH!!). A hammer would work, too, but DO NOT BEND IT. Remove that pipe. Make sure that it's clean and not bent.
Remove the studs from the old water pump that held on the fan. You can do this by taking two of the nuts that you already pulled off from those studs earlier and running both of them down one stud and tightening them together, then run them off using an opened end wrench from the bottom nut. Save the studs.
I used a razor blade to clean the old gasket material up and make everything smooth.
I put the tube mentioned above in the same spot in the new pump. I used Teflon tape to help it not leak, and put it about where I needed to put it. This WILL take some adjusting to get it in the right place, so spin it down A LOT and then start adjusting it! Once it's where it needs to be, and aligned with the heater hose, everything starts coming together.
Take the studs from two paragraphs above and thread them into the new pump. You won't need thread lock or anything - just run them down to the collar. And they will only go in one way - different threads for each side. Good thinking, Jeep Designers!!!
I have read that you DO NOT need gasket compound. I have read that you DO need it. My pump came with instructions to USE compound. I would have anyway, and I used blue RTV. I coated a thin film between the new water pump and the gasket then set it. Then I coated the gasket on the other side with another layer. I used 12/6 o'clock to hold everything in place, and it isn't leaking, so it must have worked.
I got my new pump at Advance Auto Parts. *NEW* for $29.99, not rebuilt (rebuilt was $25, so **duh**). Lifetime warranty. And NO core deposit! FYI
Tighten the pump *gently* and in a cross-hatch pattern. Once it is tight, but not TOO tight (we've ALL been there when we've said "just a little more - - - - snap - - - - damnit!)( and sorry, I don't know the torque specs).
**Put the Bottom radiator hose on ***NEXT***. TRUST ME ON THIS.**
*Then* put the power steering pump bracket on - leave the bolts loose until they are all threaded - then once they are, snug them down. Then put the pump on the brackets. DO NOT TIGHTEN THE PUMP YET! Feel free to tighten the bracket, though. NOT TOO TIGHT!!!! (remember **crack**)
Put the pulley back on the water pump. Carefully slide the fan and the shroud back in place and tighten the bolts from the fan to the water pump.
Reconnect the shroud back to the radiator with the three bolts/screws.
Follow the routing diagram on your shroud to position your serpentine belt. Once it is in place, tighten up the tensioner bolt under the power steering pump that faces your drivers' side fender. You want about 1/2" of flex in the belt. Once the belt is where you want it, tighten the nut under the pump, the bolt behind the pump, and the bolt in front of the pump at the top.
Put the heater hose back on the tube coming out of the top left of the water pump that is next to the valve cover. Put the clamp on.
If you feel confident, refill with 50/50 antifreeze. Or you can refill with water until you run it to operating temp and check for leaks, then drain it and put 50/50 in it. (I put 50/50 in mine, ya wuss )
I didn't change my T-Stat this time. Maybe I should have, and the hoses as well. Your call.
Hope this helped some - 'cause my Chiltens was near useless..... LOL.
I hope this helped someone, and I hope you chuckled a but.... Happy Wheeling!!!!!!!!!